Whangarei Heads tides today
- Tide now 9.2 ft ↓ falling · low 4:41 pm (1.8 ft)
- Best time to fish 3:40–4:50 pm good day · 7/10
- Beach day Not today Not a beach day · 1/10
- Waves · water 1.2 ft · 63 °F smooth · 2.7 s from the west-northwest
- Wind · air 16 mph · 67 °F from the W, gusts 32 · light drizzle
- Sun 6:22 am–7:50 pm 13 h 28 min of daylight
- Moon 89% · 11:39 pm waning gibbous · rises at 11:39 pm
- Best time to dive 10:00–11:30 am great day · 9/10
Today in Whangarei Heads there are high tides at 10:36 am (9.3 ft) and 10:51 pm (8.9 ft) and low tides at 4:14 am and 4:41 pm. Tide coefficient 88. Right now the tide is falling toward the low tide at 4:41 pm. The sun rises at 6:22 am and sets at 7:50 pm: 13 h 28 min of daylight. The moon is 89% illuminated (waning gibbous) and rises at 11:39 pm. Major solunar periods run from 2:16 am to 4:16 am and from 2:48 pm to 4:48 pm. The next spring tides arrive from October 27 to 29. The sea is smooth, with 1.2 ft waves. There's a moderate breeze from the west (16 mph). Light drizzle, 67 °F.
Fishing in Whangarei Heads today
Best time to fish
Solunar activity today: medium- Low tide at 4:41 pm
- Major period 2:48–4:48 pm
- Falling pressure (−0.12 inHg in 24 h), moderate onshore wind (15 mph) and calm sea (1.4 ft waves)
- Waning gibbous: a bit more activity than at the quarters
- Highest tide coefficient today: 88 (average tides)
Your day at a glance
The best window, 3:40 pm to 4:50 pm, combines the 4:41 pm low tide, a major period and falling pressure, though with moderate wind. Also good from 11:10 pm to 11:50 pm, with the 10:51 pm high tide, moonrise, falling pressure and a light onshore breeze. Also good from 3:10 am to 4:20 am, with the 4:14 am low tide, a major period and a light onshore breeze.
Species with the most records nearby: Australasian snapper, shortfin mako, yellowtail amberjack and John Dory. October is one of the months when these are seen most: John Dory. What you can catch
Beach day in Whangarei Heads
Is it a beach day?
- Calm for swimming: 1.4 ft waves
- UV 7 (high): SPF 50 sunscreen
- Low tide at 4:41 pm: more sand
- Cloudy (100% cloud cover)
- Feels like 65 °F: a bit cool
- Rain (0.04 in)
Today, hour by hour
- Swimming Calm · 1.4 ft
1.4 ft waves: calm for swimming. Low rip current risk. Always follow the lifeguard's flags.
- Water 63 °F
Cold: ease in slowly.
- Sun & sunscreen UV 7 · SPF 50
Max UV 7 (high): SPF 50 sunscreen, reapplied every 2 hours.
- Wind 16 mph
Moderate onshore wind (16 mph).
- Tide & sand 4:41 pm
Low tide at 4:14 am and 4:41 pm: that's when there's the most sand. High tide at 10:36 am and 10:51 pm.
We don't have data on jellyfish, sargassum or beach closures: ask the lifeguard or check with the local beach authority. How it works · The next 7 days
Beaches near Whangarei Heads
Map: OpenFreeMap · © OpenMapTiles · © OpenStreetMap contributors
- Smugglers Bay Beach 3.3 mi · SE
- Ocean Beach 3.4 mi · E
- Restrooms
- Showers
- Parking
- Peach Cove 4.5 mi · SE
- Restrooms
Named beaches within 6.2 mi, nearest first. Amenities from OpenStreetMap: some may be missing or out of date. View on OpenStreetMap · Add or fix on OpenStreetMap
Beaches and amenities: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
Webcams near Whangarei Heads
Webcams provided by windy.com — add a webcam
Tides in Whangarei Heads
Today's high and low tides
- ▼ Low tide 4:14 am 1.3 ft
- ▲ High tide 10:36 am 9.3 ft · coef. 88
- ▼ Next low tide 4:41 pm 1.8 ft
- ▲ High tide 10:51 pm 8.9 ft · coef. 88
↓ Falling The tide is falling. 5 h 41 min to low tide at 4:41 pm.
Tide coefficient 88 for the 10:36 am high tide and 88 for the 10:51 pm high tide. Average coefficient. The water rises and falls 8.0 ft between the highest high and the lowest low: a large range for this place. 70 is an average tide here; 90 and above means spring tides; below 45, neap tides. What is the tide coefficient?
2026 extremes: the highest tide of the year is on July 16 (9.7 ft) and the lowest, on December 27 (1.0 ft).
Semidiurnal: two high and two low tides a day, of similar height.
Heights above chart datum (CD), the zero of that port's nautical charts. Astronomical prediction: wind and air pressure can raise or lower the water by a few inches, and more in a storm. Not for navigation. chart datum (CD)
Tide coefficient and range in October
The biggest tides of the month came from October 27 to 30 (coefficient 88, 7.9 ft range). The smallest, from October 20 to 21 (coefficient 47, 4.2 ft).
Tide and solunar table · this week
| Day | Sun | Tide 1 | Tide 2 | Tide 3 | Tide 4 | Coef. | Moon | Major periods | Activity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Today, Thu 29 | 6:22 am · 7:50 pm | Low tide 4:14 am · 1.3 ft | High tide 10:36 am · 9.3 ft | Low tide 4:41 pm · 1.8 ft | High tide 10:51 pm · 8.9 ft | Coef. 88 | 89% | Major periods 2:16 am · 2:48 pm | Medium |
| Fri 30 | 6:21 am · 7:51 pm | Low tide 5:03 am · 1.3 ft | High tide 11:26 am · 9.2 ft | Low tide 5:33 pm · 1.9 ft | High tide 11:43 pm · 8.7 ft | Coef. 86 | 81% | Major periods 3:21 am · 3:53 pm | Medium |
| Sat 31 | 6:20 am · 7:52 pm | Low tide 5:53 am · 1.5 ft | High tide 12:19 pm · 9.0 ft | Low tide 6:29 pm · 2.1 ft | — | Coef. 82 | 71% | Major periods 4:25 am · 4:56 pm | Medium |
| Sun 1 | 6:19 am · 7:53 pm | High tide 12:38 am · 8.4 ft | Low tide 6:47 am · 1.8 ft | High tide 1:15 pm · 8.8 ft | Low tide 7:27 pm · 2.3 ft | Coef. 79 | 60% | Major periods 5:26 am · 5:55 pm | Medium |
| Mon 2 | 6:18 am · 7:54 pm | High tide 1:35 am · 8.2 ft | Low tide 7:45 am · 2.1 ft | High tide 2:14 pm · 8.6 ft | Low tide 8:28 pm · 2.4 ft | Coef. 73 | Last quarter | Major periods 6:22 am · 6:48 pm | Medium |
| Tue 3 | 6:17 am · 7:55 pm | High tide 2:37 am · 8.0 ft | Low tide 8:47 am · 2.4 ft | High tide 3:15 pm · 8.4 ft | Low tide 9:30 pm · 2.5 ft | Coef. 68 | 38% | Major periods 7:14 am · 7:38 pm | Medium |
| Wed 4 | 6:16 am · 7:56 pm | High tide 3:41 am · 7.8 ft | Low tide 9:51 am · 2.6 ft | High tide 4:17 pm · 8.3 ft | Low tide 10:31 pm · 2.4 ft | Coef. 65 | 28% | Major periods 8:01 am · 8:24 pm | Medium |
▲ high tide · ▼ low tide · heights above chart datum (CD). Major periods: start time; they last 2 hours. Activity: based on the moon phase and the solunar periods.
Where this tide comes from
Tides from the Marsden Point station (LINZ), 1.1 mi from Whangarei Heads. Times and heights are its predictions.
Station data attribution: Slackwater database (https://github.com/openwatersio/slackwater-database). This work is based on Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand data which are licensed by Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand for re-use under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. Licensed CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Modified: see https://github.com/openwatersio/slackwater-database#modifications-to-source-data
The sea at Whangarei Heads
Sea stateSea state: smooth
The waves you may find
- Most commonMost common0.6 ft
- Significant1.2 ft
- Highest expectedHighest2.6 ft
One wave in seven is higher than the significant height, and about 3 times a day one reaches 2.6 ft. Before heading out, expect waves of up to 2.6 ft.
Wind on the coast and offshore
Onshore wind. The coast faces west and the wind blows straight in from the sea: more surf and backwash at the shore, and bait and boats drift toward land.
Wave height, next 7 daysWaves, next 7 days
Waves build over the next few days. The biggest waves arrive on Wednesday 4: 3.4 ft with a period of 5 s, from the northeast (slight).
Water temperature
Water temperature →Water temperature changes how fish behave: in very cold or very warm water they feed less. The water is steady these days, with no sudden changes.
Water warmer than normal for late October (+1.1 °F).
Satellite: NASA MUR (JPL MUR MEaSUREs, PO.DAAC), doi:10.5067/GHGMR-4FJ04. Sources and licenses
Water temperature →Forecast from Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0) with models from ECMWF, NOAA, Météo-France, DWD, Copernicus Marine and CAMS. Updated at 11:00 am (local time).
Diving in Whangarei Heads today
Diving and snorkeling today
Likely visibility: good- Slack water around high tide (10:36 am): little current from 10:20 am to 11:00 am
- 0.3 ft swell at 6 s from the northeast: barely any surge
- Moderate onshore wind (16 mph)
- 0.2 mph current toward the southeast, weak (model)
- Sun high: more light underwater
- Slack water today: low tide 4:14 am (3:50–4:30 am), high tide 10:36 am (10:20–11:00 am), low tide 4:41 pm (4:20–5:00 pm) and high tide 10:51 pm (10:30–11:10 pm)
- Likely visibility: good. The sea has been calm and there's been little rain. Based on the last 24 hours of data.
- Water at 62.6 °F: a 7 mm wetsuit, with hood and booties.
- Snorkeling: doable, with some waves or wind.
- Night dive: dark from 8:17 pm. Waning gibbous (89%), rising at 11:39 pm: a bright night.
Your diving day at a glance
The best window, 10:00 am to 11:30 am, combines slack water at high tide, little swell, weak current and the sun high, though with moderate wind. Also worth a look from 3:40 pm to 5:20 pm, with slack water at low tide, little swell and weak current, though with moderate wind.
Slack water comes from the tide: in inlets, channels and between islands the water can keep running for an hour or two after. Ask the local dive shop.
Never dive alone and check with the local dive shop: this rating is a guide, not a substitute for a professional.
Dive sites, wrecks and dive shops nearby
Map: OpenFreeMap · © OpenMapTiles · © OpenStreetMap contributors
- Whangārei Harbour Marine Reserve 3.8 mi
- Hewlett Point Sand Islands Government Purpose Reserve 6.9 mi
- SubAqua Dive Centre 12 mi
- Dive Now 12 mi
Within 12 mi. Some may be missing or closed; marine reserves usually need a permit. Open the map on OpenStreetMap · Missing one? Add it to OpenStreetMap
Sites: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
Weather in Whangarei Heads
Now in Whangarei Heads
- Low / high
- 54 / 71 °F
- Rain
- 0.04 in · 24%
- Clouds
- 100%
- Humidity
- 53%
- Dew pointDew point
- 49 °F
- Visibility
- 15 mi
- UV indexUV
- 5 · moderate
- Air qualityAir
- Fair · 22
- Saharan dust
- No
Pressure and fishing
- ↗ RisingRising Anglers say fish bite less for a while
- → SteadySteady · now Anglers expect normal activity
- ↘ FallingFalling Anglers say fish feed more before the change
Steady now (−0.01 inHg in 3 hours). Over the next 48 hours: +0.37 inHg. Steady pressure: anglers expect normal activity. Fast changes, either way, tend to affect fishing.
Today, hour by hourHour by hour
Bars: mean wind. Dashed line: gusts. Arrows point where the wind blows to.
| Time | 12:00 am | 3:00 am | 6:00 am | 9:00 am | 12:00 pm | 3:00 pm | 6:00 pm | 9:00 pm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sky | Clear | Clear | Partly cloudy | Light drizzle | Light drizzle | Overcast | Overcast | Partly cloudy |
| Temperature | 55° | 54° | 54° | 61° | 69° | 70° | 65° | 61° |
| Wind (mph) | 9 WNW | 9 WNW | 9 WNW | 14 WNW | 16 W | 16 W | 12 W | 10 WNW |
| Gusts | 16 | 17 | 17 | 27 | 33 | 33 | 29 | 21 |
| Waves | 0.7 ft | 0.7 ft | 0.7 ft | 1.0 ft | 1.2 ft | 1.3 ft | 1.3 ft | 1.1 ft |
| Rain | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.01 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in |
- 12:00 pm 69° 16 W 1.2 ft
- 3:00 pm 70° 16 W 1.3 ft
- 6:00 pm 65° 12 W 1.3 ft
- 9:00 pm 61° 10 WNW 1.1 ft
- 12:00 am 58° 10 W 0.9 ft
- 3:00 am 55° 10 WSW 0.8 ft
- 6:00 am 53° 9 WSW 0.9 ft
- 9:00 am 61° 15 SW 1.1 ft
Next 14 daysComing days
| Day | Sky | Low / high | Max wind | Max wave | High tides |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Today · 29 | 54 / 71 °F | 16 mph W | 1.4 ft | 10:36 am · 10:51 pm | |
| Fri 30 | 53 / 66 °F | 21 mph WSW | 1.9 ft | 11:26 am · 11:43 pm | |
| Sat 31 | 54 / 64 °F | 14 mph SSW | 1.0 ft | 12:19 pm | |
| Sun 1 | 50 / 66 °F | 12 mph NNE | 1.6 ft | 12:38 am · 1:15 pm | |
| Mon 2 | 59 / 67 °F | 15 mph NNE | 2.4 ft | 1:35 am · 2:14 pm | |
| Tue 3 | 59 / 68 °F | 13 mph NNE | 2.1 ft | 2:37 am · 3:15 pm | |
| Wed 4 | 60 / 69 °F | 13 mph NNE | 3.4 ft | 3:41 am · 4:17 pm | |
| Thu 5 | 63 / 71 °F | 12 mph N | 2.9 ft | 4:47 am · 5:15 pm | |
| Fri 6 | 64 / 76 °F | 9 mph NNW | 1.6 ft | 5:49 am · 6:10 pm | |
| Sat 7 | 65 / 73 °F | 19 mph N | 1.2 ft | 6:45 am · 7:01 pm | |
| Sun 8 | 63 / 76 °F | 18 mph NNW | — | 7:36 am · 7:48 pm | |
| Mon 9 | 60 / 68 °F | 10 mph SSW | — | 8:22 am · 8:33 pm | |
| Tue 10 | 56 / 71 °F | 9 mph E | — | 9:05 am · 9:15 pm | |
| Wed 11 | 60 / 71 °F | 6 mph ESE | — | 9:45 am · 9:56 pm |
- Fri 30 Light drizzle 53° / 66° 1.9 ft
- Sat 31 Overcast 54° / 64° 1.0 ft
- Sun 1 Light drizzle 50° / 66° 1.6 ft
- Mon 2 Light drizzle 59° / 67° 2.4 ft
- Tue 3 Light drizzle 59° / 68° 2.1 ft
- Wed 4 Light drizzle 60° / 69° 3.4 ft
- Thu 5 Drizzle 63° / 71° 2.9 ft
Each day comes from the best model covering this spot: regional ones first (HRRR and NBM in the U.S., AROME, ICON-EU), then ECMWF; day 16, NOAA GFS. Waves: Météo-France up to day 10, then ECMWF WAM, coarser and further offshore. High tides: our own tide calculation.
- The models Partly agree · medium confidence: unsure about rain today. See the models →
- Outlook Next few weeks, compared with normal: a bit warmer, normal rain and a slightly warmer sea. See the outlook →
- Normal Today, warmer than normal for late October (+6.4 °F; normal high: 64 °F). Climate by month →
Forecast from Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0) with models from ECMWF, NOAA, Météo-France, DWD, Copernicus Marine and CAMS. Updated at 11:00 am (local time).
The sun in Whangarei Heads
Sunrise and sunset
- First light 5:23 am
- Full dark 8:49 pm
- Civil dawn 5:55 am
- Civil dusk 8:17 pm
- Solar noon 1:06 pm (68° high)
- Daylight 13 h 28 min (+2 min)
- Evening golden hour 7:15 pm
- Full dark 8:49 pm
Golden hour and the day-night map
Today the sun is 92,347,298 mi away and looks 32′ 11″ across.
The moon in Whangarei Heads
Moon phase and position
Today the moon is 226,442 mi away and looks 32′ 47″ across.
Solunar periods
Today's activity: medium- 2:16–4:16 am Major · the moon passes overhead · high activity
- 2:48–4:48 pm Major · the moon passes underfoot · high activity
- 7:31–8:31 am Minor · moonset · medium activity
- 11:09 pm–12:09 am Minor · moonrise · medium activity
According to solunar theory, fish feed more when the moon passes overhead or underfoot (major periods, about 2 h) and when it rises or sets (minor periods, 1 h). It works best around new and full moon.
Upcoming moon phases
2026 moon calendar →- Last quarter Mon, Nov 2 · 9:29 amNov 2 in 4 days
- New moon Mon, Nov 9 · 8:03 pmNov 9 in 11 days
- First quarter Wed, Nov 18 · 12:48 amNov 18 in 20 days
- Full moon Wed, Nov 25 · 3:54 amNov 25 in 27 days
Perigee on October 29, 226,426 mi away, coinciding with the spring tides from October 27 to 29: they will be stronger than usual.
Where to fish in Whangarei Heads
Piers, ramps and tackle shops nearby
Map: OpenFreeMap · © OpenMapTiles · © OpenStreetMap contributors
- Boat ramp 0.7 mi
- Boat ramp 1.4 mi
- Boat ramp 2.2 mi
- Boat ramp 2.2 mi
- Boat ramp 2.3 mi
- Boat ramp 2.6 mi
- Boat ramp 2.6 mi
- Boat ramp 2.8 mi
- Boat ramp 4.0 mi
- Boat ramp 6.3 mi
- Boat ramp 7.2 mi
- Marsden Cove Marina 2.3 mi
Within 9.3 mi. A spot may be missing or closed. Open the map on OpenStreetMap · Missing one? Add it to OpenStreetMap
Spots: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps.
Tides near Whangarei HeadsTides nearby
- Marsden Point1.2 mi
- Ruakaka6.9 mi
- Onerahi8.2 mi
- Whangarei11 mi
- Waipu12 mi
- Raumanga12 mi
- Ngunguru14 mi
- Mangawhai Heads19 mi
- Maungaturoto21 mi
- Mangawhai21 mi
Whangarei Heads at a glance
- Town or city of about 960 people. Coordinates: 35.817° S, 174.500° E.
- It is 11 mi southeast of Whangarei, the main place in Northland. The sun rises 1 min earlier and sets 1 min earlier than in Whangarei.
- The nearest tide station, Marsden Point, is 1.2 mi to the south.
- Its coast faces west.
- Beaches and harbors nearby: Peach Cove (4.6 mi), Whangarei Harbour (4.8 mi).
Questions about Whangarei HeadsQuestions
What time is high tide today in Whangarei Heads?
Today in Whangarei Heads there are high tides at 10:36 am (9.3 ft) and 10:51 pm (8.9 ft) and low tides at 4:14 am and 4:41 pm. Tide coefficient 88.
What time is sunset today in Whangarei Heads?
At 7:50 pm. There is light until the end of civil twilight, at 8:17 pm.
What time is sunrise tomorrow in Whangarei Heads?
At 6:21 am. First light comes at 5:22 am.
What phase is the moon today?
Waning gibbous, 89% illuminated. New moon on Mon, Nov 9 · 8:03 pm.
When are the next spring tides?
From October 27 to 29, together with the lunar perigee: they will be stronger than usual.
What are today's solunar periods?
Major 2:16–4:16 am, Minor 7:31–8:31 am, Major 2:48–4:48 pm, Minor 11:09 pm–12:09 am. Today's activity is medium.
What's the weather like today in Whangarei Heads?
Light drizzle, from 54 °F to 71 °F, with a moderate breeze from the west (16 mph) and a 24% chance of rain.
How is the sea today in Whangarei Heads?
Smooth (Douglas 2): 1.2 ft waves with a period of 2.7 s from the west-northwest. The water is 62.8 °F.
When is the best time to visit Whangarei Heads?
The best time to visit Whangarei Heads is from January to February: highs of 73 °F, about 5 rainy days a month and 8 hours of sunshine a day.
Can I use this data for navigation?
No. These are predictions for fishing and leisure; for navigation, use the official publications.
Where this data comes from
Tide: Marsden Point station. This work is based on Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand data which are licensed by Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand for re-use under the CC BY 4.0 licence; via Slackwater database (changes). Sun and moon: our own calculation with astronomy-engine. Places: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Coastline: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).